Leaf-holder.



I. J. PLAMONDON.

LEAF HOLDER.

APPLICATION FILED DEC-27. 915.

1,228,595, Patented June 5, 1917.

@noemtoz l- J. PLHMONDON ISIDORE J. PLAMONDON, 0F DUBUQUE, IOWA.

FFTCE.

LEAF-HOLDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 5, 1917.

Application filed December 27, 1915. Serial No. 68,851.

Plamondon and Robert Short, on September 5, 1916, and of which I am the sole inventor.

It is the primary purpose of this invention to produce a simple, effective and reliable leaf clamping device particularly designed for use in connection with abook holder or support such as that disclosed in the patent,

above referred to, whereby the opposite leaves of the book, when the same is opened, may be clamped and held irrespective of the vertical inclination of the book, or the lateral inclination of the opposite portions of the book. with respect to each other.

It is a more particular object of the invention to provide a clamping or holding device for the abovepurpose embodying a pair of angular rods pivotally mounted at one of their ends upon the book support, and a pair of reversible coil springs formed in a single length of wire, said springs being engaged upon the respective pivotally mounted ends of the clamping rods and operated to yieldingly force the opposite ends of the rods apart and into clamping engagement upon the book leaves.

It is an additional object of the invention to provide an improvedmounting for the clamping rods and the actuating springs therefor so that the latter will be protected against possible injury and the device thus rendered highly durable in practical use and reliable and efiective in operation.

With the above and other objects. in view, my invention consists in the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more fully described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a book holder such as that shown in the prior application hereinbefore referred to;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly in section;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view illustrating the mounting of the leaf holding or clamping members; and

Fig. l is a section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Referring in detail to the drawing, 5 designates the baseboard of the book support and 9 the book support proper which is hinged, as at 10, upon the front edge of the base 5. Upon the center of the supporting board 9, a narrow bar 15 is arranged and suitably secured permanently thereto. To the opposite edges of this centrally fixed bar 15, the adjustable leaves or sections 17 are attached by means of hinges 18. These leaves 17 are adjusted to vary their lateral inclination with. respect to each other by means of the blocks 27 which are slidably mounted upon the surface of the board 9. To the forward edge of the board 9, the vertically disposed metal plate 19 is secured, said plate projecting for some distance above the upper surface of said board and constituting a stop or rest for the book, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the draw- 1ng.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawing, it will be observed that the opposed faces of the body board 9 of the book support and the bar 15 which is fixed thereon, are recessed at their forward ends, as indicated at 20, and at the inner end of the recess in the board 9, parallel sockets 21 are provided. The upstanding plate 19 has spaced openings '22 formed therein which are in registering relation with the sockets 21. 23 designates the leaf holding or clamping rods, each of which is of elongated U-shape form and has one of its ends disposed through one of the openings 22 in the stop plate 19 and extended through the recesses 20. The extremity of this end of the rod 23 is engaged in one of the sockets 21 vaccommodation of said springs.

extend through the recesses 20. These recesses in the opposed faces of the board 9 and the bar provide ample space for the The extremity of the wire at one end of each of the coil springs 24: is securely fixed to the respective rods 23.

neath the board 9 and is adapted to cooperate with said board in its sliding movement ,;to position the same in various inclined planes with respect to said base. The mounting and arrangement of these blocks as well as the blocks 27, may be more fully ascertained from an examination ofthe prior patent above referred to, and will not, therefore, bespecifically recited in the present specification, as the same constitutes no essential part of this invention.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, the construction and manner of operation of the device will be manifest. When the blocks 25 and 27 are adjusted to elevate the book to a desired angle and support the covers thereof in open position, the relative angular positions of the clamping rods 23- with respect to the plate 19 automatically change, and the springs 24 cause the free ends of the rods to exert a clamping pressure upon the opposed pages at the point where the book is opened. It is immaterial whether the book be opened adjacent to its front portion or near the back thereof, as the ends of the rods will nevertheless be held in their proper clamping positions on the book leaves owing to the fact that these rods are independently movable. This feature is of primary advantage and particularly when the device is used for holding or supporting large heavy dictionaries or like volumes. It will thus be seen that I have produced a very simple, effective and reliable leaf clamp or holding device for book easels or supports, and one which will not constitute an obstruction in the use of the book. Either of the rods 23 may be readily lifted at its free end and momentarily disengaged from the book leaf in order to turn the leaves. I have found the particular form or shape of these rods and Having thus fully described my invention, what I desire to claim and secure by Letters Patent is 1. The combination with a book holder including a support and a rest plate for the book fixed to the support, of clamping rods having angular end portions rotatably mounted in the rest plate, and a single length of resilient wire having spring coils formed in each end thereof loosely engaged upon the respective angular ends of said rods and fixed at their extremities to the rods, said spring coils acting independently upon the rods to yieldingly hold the other ends thereof in clamping engagement upon the opposed leaves of an open book arranged on the support.

2. The combination with a book holder including a support, of clamping rods pivotally mounted at one of their ends upon the support, and a resilient wire having spaced spring coils formed therein encircling the respective pivotally mounted ends of the rods and fixed at their extremities to said rods, said springs acting independently upon the rods to hold their free outer ends in clamping engagement upon the opposed leaves of an open'book arranged on the support.

3. The combination with a book holder including a support, said support having a recess in one edge thereof and spaced sockets at the inner end of said recess, of clamping rods rotatably engaged at their corresponding ends in the respective sockets and extending through said recess, and spring coils engaged upon said ends of the rods within said recess and independently.

acting upon the rods to force the outer free ends of the same apart and into clamping engagement with the opposed leaves of an open book arranged on the support.

4. The combination with a book holder including a support provided with a recess in one edge and spaced sockets at the inner end of saidrecess, of clamping rods having their corresponding ends extended through said recess and rotatably engaged in the respective sockets, coil springs engaged upon the said ends of the rods and independently acting thereon to force the other ends of the rods apart and into clamping engagement with the opposed leaves of an open, book arranged on the support, and a bar fixed to the support over the recess therein and said bar being recessed to accommodate said springs.

5. The combination with a book holder including a support, and a stop plate or rest for the book fixed to said support, of U- shaped clamping rods having one of their ends rotatably mounted in said stop plate and their other ends projecting over the upper edge of said plate, and a resilient wire hav ng spacediserles of spring coils formed therein engaged upon said rotatably mounted ends of the rods and fixed at their extremities thereto, said springs acting independently upon the rods to urge the free ends of the same apart and into clamping engagement with the opposed leaves of an open book arranged on the support.

6. The combination With a book holder including a support and a stop plate or rest for the book fixed to said support, U-shaped clamping rods having one of their ends rotatably mounted in said stop plate and projecting at their other ends over the upper edge of said'plate, said support being provided with a recess therein and sockets at the inner end of the recess to receive the extremities of the first-named ends of the respective rods, coil springs arranged within said recess and fixed at one of their ends to the respective rods to independently act upon said rods and urge the other ends of the same apart and into clamping engagement With the opposed leaves of a book arranged upon the support, and a cap member fixed upon the support over the recess therein and housing said springs.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aiiix my signature in the presence of tWo Witnesses.

ISIDORE J. PLAMONDON. Witnesses:

F. T. MEILE, E. H. WIILGING.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of'latents, Washington, D. G. 

